This invention relates generally to miniature electric switches, and deals more particularly with front panel mounted miniature switches having terminals of conventional size nested in the bottom wall of the switch case.
The chief aim of the present invention is to provide a unique nesting arrangement for the blade portions of the terminals of a miniature switch such that these terminal blade portions are all provided within the confines of the bottom wall of the switch, and so that they nevertheless are adapted to receive conventional wire connectors of the type capable of being crimped to the ends of relatively heavy wires.
In carrying out the foregoing aim of the present invention an electric switch is provided having a molded case of dielectric material, which case includes a generally rectangular body portion adapted to fit loosely within the confines of a relatively small size rectangular panel opening. The switch case body portion defines an upwardly open cavity to house the various contacts normally provided within such a switch, and an operating member is movably mounted in the switch case for selectively moving one contact relative to another generally fixed in the switch case. The switch case body portion further includes a bottom wall having slots defined therein and the electrically conductive terminals are provided in these slots. These terminals have lower portions in the form of blade shaped elements for slidably receiving wire connectors of the type generally provided with relatively high current and/or high voltage wires. These blade portions all project downwardly from the bottom wall of the switch case body portion and are arranged within the periphery of the rectangular body portion so as to permit the switch case to be front mounted in a panel. Upper portions of these terminals define the contacts which are fixed in the switch case cavity and selectively engageable by the movable contact. Some of the terminals have an intermediate portion in the plane of the blade portion and defining an offset between said upper contact defining portion and the lower blade portion with the result that at least one vertically extending edge of the projecting blade portion of the terminal is located adjacent to an outside corner of the rectangular body portion of the switch case. More particularly, each terminal comprises a flat planar strip of conductive material having a thickness which is constant throughout its length such that each terminal can be inserted upwardly into the switch case and crimped at the upper end to secure it in place. An intermediate portion of each such terminal defines the point of maximum width and also defines an abutment edge cooperating with a stepped area of the slot in the bottom wall of the switch case body portion so that the precise location for the terminal within the switch case body is accurately defined. At least four such terminals can be provided at the four corners of the generally rectangular body portion with the result that all corner terminals are arranged in generally parallel relationship to the diagonals of the rectangularly shaped switch case body portion. Center terminals may also be provided and these too are of flat planar conductive material with offset portions to permit the upper contact defining portion to be located inside the switch case cavity and to nevertheless provide the outside edge of the blade portion at the periphery of the switch case body portion itself. Finally, the switch case body portion bottom wall further defines a depending skirt means integrally formed of the same dielectric material and adapted to separate the terminals and their associated wire connectors one from another.